MEDIA STATEMENT
Rahui Katene
Maori Party MP for Te Tai Tonga
13 September 2010

Katene says authorities should apologise for shaming whanau

Maori Party MP for Te Tai Tonga Rahui Katene says the authorities who kicked a Christchurch family out of a welfare centre should apologise for judging them too early and shaming them publicly.

“This is a case of the police and other authorities judging this family and acting too quickly,” Mrs Katene said.

“Just because a house has a green notice does not mean it is safe to live in. In fact the authorities themselves acknowledge that a green notice only means that the outside of the property has been inspected, not the sewerage and plumbing systems on the inside which has been a major issue for this family.

“Many families with a green notice on their house still do not feel safe to live in it or move back home. Does that mean they are all “freeloading”?

“It sounds to me like the authorities were acting like bullies. By publicly shaming this family, obviously they were not thinking of the impact this would have on their children.

“I’ve heard claims that a or some members of the family were misbehaving at the centre, but then I hear other stories of them being very helpful.

“In any case, the entire family should not be punished because of the actions of a minority.”

Mrs Katene was also concerned about claims that Maori youth were being targeted by police.

“I’ve heard from whanau that in one particular area rangatahi who were volunteering in their community and helping their whanau were accused by police of theft. The whanau are trying to work these issues through with the police, but I’m growing concerned about what appears to be ethnic profiling.”

ENDS

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